There was no going back now.
I'm not letting her go.
And there's definitely no breaking her heart.
I stood up and walked out determined.

"Make it worth a memory!"
Neil shouted while I took off running.

********************

I ran till I saw her. My steps slowed down and I walked till I stood right behind her.
It's been four days since I sat like a scared puppy, hiding from her.
Fucking sissy.

She turned around and gasped at my sudden presence. But what I was not prepared for was a punch to my nose.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, J!"
She comforted me while I held my nose tightly.

She punched my nose in reflex!
Now that's my girl!

I smiled and cupped her face in my hands.
"You, Doctor Merlen!" I said seriously.
"hmm?" she pouted, with her eyebrows raised.

I used the correct way to call her now that I knew all about her. She was a medical student, cutting cadavers and injecting medicines into veins day in day out. I was surprised that her gentle hands could punch so hard. And then shake in fear? Doctors are a different breed I tell you!

"You ready to be my girl and punch me just like that for the rest of my life?"
She froze. Her hands slowly slipped up and cupped my hands tightly as if i'll disappear anytime.

Her eyes were starting to water.
"I love you. Like crazy."
I whispered and her dam broke.

"I thought you'll never come back. I thought you didn't want me anymore. I thought you ran away."
She said crying with her eyes closed.

"Fuck me if I run away from you ever again. But that's not the answer. Tell me- will you?"
I asked her again.
Our foreheads touched as I waited for her answer.

"Punch your pretty liar face everyday? Yes."
She laughed with a running nose.

That's it.
I crushed my lips against hers and she didn't hold back.
Clutching my hair tight she kissed me back more furiously.

I lost everything that was on my mind.
All worries of the future, risk to my life, fear of leaving her alone - one kiss kicked every doubt out of my mind.
I'm keeping her for the rest of my life and that's fucking final!

She wasn't ready to end the kiss and I didn't complain until she moved back for air.

She laughed that laughter.
That's the sound that warmed my heart every freaking time.

"I have a doubt."
She said as I gripped her in a tight hug.
Oh she felt so good.

"hmm?"
I asked rubbing my nose in her hair.

"How can I fuck you if you run away?"
She asked innocently.

"You are an evil one, aren't you?"
She giggled against my chest. Oh I wanted her to just stay like that. Then suddenly I realised why I missed her so much.

I held her shoulders and pulled her away from me.
"You must really hate my ass, right?"
She laughed loudly at my words.

"Because it's going to be on fire, soon? Yes. Absolutely!"
She continued laughing.

"Took you three days to find out about my brother after me giving you a hint. Either my brother is too good, or you guys are too bad."
She said making me hitch my breath.

"If you're going to put it this way to him, be assured this is our last meeting. I'll be kicked out of CCTC and Neil is going to slice my neck. If your brother spares my body in single piece that is."

She pulled me into her flat that was out of bond for me till now. I sat on a chair. She sat right across me.

"Your room mate?"
I asked.

"Lauret has night shift for a week."
She replied meekly.

My eyes roamed around till they fixed on the same photograph that was thrown at me by Neil today. The shocker was too much!

"Damnit Merlen. I still can't believe you're even remotely related to that assho-"
I felt a pen hit my face.
Oops.

"He's my brother! Say one more word and I'll kick you out myself gracefully."
She said raising her eyebrows.

Look at this tigress!

"Alright... Sorry... Sir Norman... The mightiest man in the army.. Your dear brother... You guys are so cute it hurts.."
I say clutching my heart and she fell back laughing.

"He's not a bad man. He just cares for me too much. He won't hurt you once he accepts you."
"Yeah. Once. Not in this lifetime for sure."

She chuckled again.
"I'll talk to him on your behalf. Don't worry."
She came and sat on my lap and started ruffling my hair.

"I hate to hide behind a woman in times of war. But I would really appreciate if you can do that part. I'm definitely not ready to face him yet."
She continued laughing.

"Does he meet you daily? When are you going to meet him next? How much time do I have left to live?"
Merlen clutched her stomach.

"Fifteen minutes, dang! I thought it's tomorrow!"
She said looking at her watch realising that she missed an important point to tell me.

"What?!"
"He's coming to meet me today after almost a month. He'll stay for a few hours before going to the HQ."
She said.

"Fuck!"
I lifted her up and then got up with Merlen still in my arms. Placing her back down I rubbed my sweaty palms.

Merlen doubled up laughing.
"Don't worry. I won't tie you up and offer him for dinner."
She said teasing me.

"I so want to make you pay for these things you do to me!"
I held her face in my hands.

She pulled back.
"Go. It's getting late."
She said unwillingly but with a big smile on her red face.

"I'll come back tonight."
I whispered.

"What? No! You can't come out at night! It's out of bond! You'll be-"
"Damned if I don't. I'll see you tonight I promise."
I winked and kissed her again quick.

I couldn't get enough of her now.
I ran away but turned around and looked at her once. She was grinning ear to ear.
My Merlen.

******

"I love you."
I repeated those words.

"Like crazy?"
She giggled.

"Like crazy."
I repeated and we kissed again.
This was soft. She took her time to believe that it's all true. That I wasn't a p*ssy who left her.

And I took my time to accept the reality. It's no more just me. It's her now. It's all about her now.

She pulled back and kissed my forehead.
"I never knew you'd be so gentle once I say it out."
I teased her and immediately got a tough punch on my abs.

"You were saying?"
"Are you and Charles related too? He's your uncle or something?"
She laughed loudly.

"You handle Norry first. Then I'll think of introducing you to the rest of my family."
She said and I stopped in my tracks.

"Hold up! You've got more men in your family to guard you? Are you planning to kill me at the hands of more than just one person?"
I exclaimed.
This can't be happening.
Norman is not going to take it easy and there's more waiting for me?

She laughed loudly.
As much as I loved to hear that sound, it was killing me a inside.

"Look at your face!"
She pointed at my face and went into another fit of laughter.

"Merlen my life is at stake here. Tell me just how many brothers you have in total?"
"Just one. Don't worry."
She said holding her stomach tight.

"I'm going to even this out with you."
I said holding her from behind and bringing my face close to hers.
She moved a little to touch her lips to mine but I pulled back.
Oh a kiss that never happened.

She got angry and turned around, held my hair in a tight grip and kissed me hard.
Her other hand moved over the nape of my neck and roughly pulled me closer to her.

My hands moved over her back and I gently pulled her closer to me.
She bit my lower lip and I hissed in pain.
She had no plan to stop ravaging my lips and I let her.
Furious doesn't even cover it.

She pulled back breathing fast while I took air too. God she made me breathless!

Her hands were still behind my head. She tugged my head back and forced me to look into her eyes.
"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again."
She literally commanded and I smiled.

"Never again, ma'am."
Only after I said this, she released her hold and smiled back at me.

Wow!
That is going to be hot.

Realising what she just did, she started explaining "I'm sorry.. I just.."
"Got turned on by a denied kiss?"
I asked absentmindedly.

She turned back with a jerk and looked at me amused.
"May be."
She shrugged her shoulders and turned back to make coffee.

Fuck me!
I don't give her the kiss and she bites me!
"I'll have to be more careful with you now onwards."
I said raising my hands in surrender.

"You bet your ass I'm easy."
"Not at all."
We both laughed as she handed me a mug.
After drinking alcohol for days straight, I think this would be the first sober thing going down my throat.

We talked more and she yawned four times.
The fifth time she did, I got up and kissed her bye.

She closed the door and I turned around to find a familiar face look at me.
Neil never looked so angry.
I should have informed him before leaving.
Shit.

"Neil I-"
"Sir. Gym."

"Yes sir."
I looked down and ran away before he crosses me and makes my soon to be miserable night more miserable.

Once in gym, I calmed my breaths down and thought about how good Merlen felt in my arms.

Suddenly the door reopened and Neil entered jogging.

"You're grounded for three days."
He said without looking at me.

"But-"
"Four."

But he only told me to make things work with Marlen!
Fuck James, shut up!
"Yes sir."

"I don't want to hear any sound from you till I ask you something directly."
I nodded.

"Fifty Burpees and then crunches."
I dropped down, pushed and pulled up only to find him gone.
I continued knowing he's looking at me somehow.

He came back when my abs were on 176.
I didn't stop.

"Turn around. Pushups."
I did and felt a blanket cover me from head to toe.

"Halt"
I paused. I heard a chair being pulled from one side and suddenly there was some weight on my back.
He probably sat on the extended chair and kept his feet on my back.

"Continue."
I start pushing.
Was he going to sleep like that? Really?
And I'm going to push throughout the night? Under this blanket?

I lost track of time and the only thing I was counting was my numbers.
"How many?"
"248, sir."

After calling him by his name for so long, it felt weird to call him sir again. May be that was the whole point.

He slept off again and I kept pushing.
It was getting humid, thanks to the blanket and my sweat.
I was sweating profusely. Fuck, this was a private Fumes session going on.

And soon his feet felt like a hundred pounds.
Just when I thought I should call him, he stirred.
Thank god. Or may be not.

"How many?"
"455, sir"

He moved his feet off my back and I took a breath of relief.
"Plank"

No..!
I moved my hands down and got into the position and fuck my life! He sat on my lower back.
I held back a cry because he wanted no sound.

Here I was in a plank under a thick blanket sweating and there he was - sitting on my back like the highness he really was.

"Where were you last night?"
He came straight to the point.

"At Merlen's-"
Damnit! Something hit my right shoulder so hard I stopped breathing for a second.

"apartment."
I completed my answer hissing.

"Who gave you the permission to leave CCTC campus?"
"No-"
Fuck!
"No one, sir."

"You are a part of?"
"Red Sparrows." I said quickly before my next hit.

Neil was really angry.
I was thankful for the blanket!

"And being the head of Red Sparrows, I don't remember telling you to sneak out of the campus at 11 in the night. Or Did I?"
"Negative, Sir."
Getting a final strong hit on my left shoulder that I was sure will be leaving a mark for next few days, he got off my back.

And I collapsed.
The blanket was taken off me lightening fast.
"Up!"
I got up to see Neil fuming at me.

"I know what you're going through. I am responsible for this to some extent. But you're not allowed to go over me and take matters in your hands like this. You repeat this and you're permanently out."
He said trying to keep his anger in check.

I stood silent knowing he was pissed off and every word that I spoke would only make it worse.

"Instructor Charles calls me up in the middle of my sleep and rogers me for not knowing where a junior member of my team was. I am the only person responsible for whatever happens to you till you finish your training. And let me remind you that you're not done yet. You wanted to see me dead before you make it, or what?"

I looked down. He was right.
I got carried away with the new feelings.
I should have atleast told him.

"Don't forget you are going to be a Class-I agent. You have eyes on you - not just of everyone here, but HQ too. Don't think we don't have enemies amongst us. Your identity was your biggest weakness till now. Now your weakness is that lady. And if you can live with risking her life like that ever again, tell me, I'll drop you at the street myself!"
My eyes were still down.
That's true.
What was I thinking?

"Look up. You don't get to escape this too easily."
I did as he said, making it even more difficult to face him.

"We're a team yes. And I always made you face everything all by yourself because I wanted to make you strong and independent. But if you think that you can pull these stunts off because you're a grown up man, I'll not take more than a few minutes to show you how wrong you are."
He roared.

"I understand, sir. It was a mistake. I'll not repeat it."
"Four days inside the academy will ensure that you don't even think of repeating that."
Oh boy.
Sorry Merlen for going underground again.

"James, if I see you outside the walls of this campus even once.. I..."
"You won't, sir. I promise."

He calmed down a little hearing that.
"Go change and report to Instructor Charles. Have a nice day with him boiling and itching to get his hands on you for breaking rules. Enjoy. And tell him that I was with you the whole night."
He said sarcastically.
Oh I'll enjoy saving your ass.

I saluted him and ran away.
Phew!
Anything but his anger.

************************************

Love makes you do crazy things!
😁😁

I love THIS version of James. What about you? 😉

************************************

And any guesses why Renee Scott was allowed to breathe in James's presence?
😁😁

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